This post is sponsored by The National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA). All opinions are my own. For more inspiration during #JuneDairyMonth, be sure to check out delicious ideas from NFRA at EasyHomeMeals.com#JDM2019
This summer my husband and I decided that we were going to commit to trying to eat healthier, which means finding ways to get more healthy and nutritious options in our diet and one of those ways, we quickly learned, was to get on the smoothie train and find ways to sneak healthier ingredients into already tasty and easy to make drinks on the go. Today I wanted to show you our latest and greatest smoothie concoction that includes just a little bit of everything healthy in it, but in a way that you can enjoy quickly for breakfast or as an afternoon snack and that will even trick your kids into eating veggies they don’t realize they’re eating!! Here’s the Best Green Smoothie Recipeand how easy it is to make it!! June is Dairy Month, so I headed up to my favorite Giant Eagle store and shopped their dairy aisle for the base items I need to make any smoothie — Silk® Almond Milk, Oikos® Triple Zero®, and Giant Eagle® Orange Juice (for a little added sweetness). There are so many delicious options at Giant Eagle and for the whole month of June you can get more information and find more recipe ideas by visiting HERE. Let’s jump right into the recipe…
Green Smoothie Recipe for Beginners
I’m an admitted smoothie rookie–we just ventured into the wide world of at home smoothie making, but so far, we’re only mad that we waited so long to pull the trigger. As picky eaters by nature, things like spinach and kale aren’t at all my first-choice cuisine, but mixed into a smoothie…I can eat it all day!! It’s AMAZING how you can hide WONDERFUL things for you that you’d otherwise opt not to try in a smoothie and really enjoy them!
My kids are also picky eaters and when I made this batch of smoothies tonight to photograph for this blog post, my kids liked them so much that I ended up making enough for four smoothies so we could all have one for an afternoon snack! The green color didn’t deter them and in their smoothie they got a huge serving of spinach, almond milk, Greek yogurt, fruits, and chia seeds (look up the benefits of chia seeds!).
How to make a green smoothie…
Let’s jump into the best part here, how to make a green smoothie so that it hides all the stuff your kids (and maybe you) don’t like to eat on its own and actually ENJOY it at the same time!!
First, I prefer to shop Curbside Express through Giant Eagle (it’s FREE you guys) and pick up everything I need. I buy frozen fruit for my smoothies and store it in the fridge, then stock up on Silk® Almond Milk, Oikos® Triple Zero®, and Giant Eagle® Orange Juice for the base of all my smoothies. If you don’t want orange juice in your smoothie, then I’d suggest buying some honey to sweeten it up a bit naturally.
In a blender I add in a handful or two of fresh spinach, 1-2 cups of Nature’s Basket® Organic Frozen Pineapple, 1/4 cup of canned mandarin oranges, one Oikos® Triple Zero® Greek Yogurt container, one whole fresh banana (can use frozen too), then 1/2 cup of Giant Eagle® Orange Juice and 1/2 cup of Silk® Almond Milk. Finally, I add in about 1 tablespoon of Chia Seeds because as it turns out, they are SUPER healthy and so good for so many different things!
Put the lid on the blender and blend well until everything is smooth. If your smoothie is too runny, add more frozen fruit, if it’s too thick, add more almond milk and/or orange juice depending on your preferences. Remember, the best part about a smoothie is that you don’t have to operate with exact measurements…just add items until you get it right!!
These blended up beautifully and everyone in the family enjoyed them. I even made an extra one for my morning drive into work, so they keep well overnight too– there’s nothing in them to melt so you can make them in advance!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. My kids are already asking for more and the nice thing is that once you get the items you need–the fruit and everything else does go a long way! We’ve made it last a few weeks so far and we enjoy trying out all the different combinations. Remember, if it seems bland or not flavorful enough, add some honey or orange juice and it usually makes things way better right away!
Cheers to a healthier you this summer!!
The Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 handful fresh spinach
- 1-2 cups Nature’s Basket® Organic Frozen Pineapple
- 1 whole banana
- 1/4 cup mandarin oranges
- 1/2 cup Silk® Almond Milk
- 1/2 cup Giant Eagle® Orange Juice
- 1 single serve container Oikos® Triple Zero®
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in blender and mix until blended well. Serve cold!
Guess what– I want to help you guys get started on your smoothie journey, so you can enter to win one of THREE $50 Giant Eagle Gift Cards (US only) to get started this summer!! Giveaway runs 2 weeks, use the Rafflecopter below to enter!
Visit Easy Home Mealsfor great recipe and meal solutions and to enter the June Dairy Month Sweepstakesfor a chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes!
